Help with Macbook

[Sully]

So, I'm going to get a Macbook for college. However, I don't know what specifications I REALLY need for it.

An employee at the Apple store recommended that I get a 2.26 GHz Macbook with 4GB memory (as apposed to the basic 2GB) and 250GB hard drive (as apposed to the basic 160GB).

Since my major is going to be Psychology (or something more directed towards Medicine - think medically-oriented), what do any of you propose I get?

My options are basically this, since the higher amounts would be the most that I would think I would need:

2.13GHz vs. 2.26GHz

2GB memory vs. 4GB memory

160GB hard drive vs. 250GB hard drive

Thanks for all who help.

P.S. The employee I talked to suggested the higher memory and hard drive values due to "more space and more preparedness for future programs which will continue to just get bigger in size." Not sure if that is just trying-to-make-a-sale talk or not. I'll let technically-knowledgeable be the judge of that.

[CanadianSnowman]

You don't need as much system resources running Mac OS as Windows, that should do very nicely for a MacBook, but you can't compare to PC it's a different world.

[Proottalfain]

What is the price for the different options?

[CanadianSnowman]

Sorry for the double post hit the button too quick...

The only thing I would recommend the faster one for is the more disk capacity, the other features are nice like the extra memory but again Mac OS doesn't require as much system resources to run as Windows, the difference you'll notice will be minimal.

The bigger hard drive space is a plus though.

[AltoPowder]

The mac os is more power hungry than WIndows XP, isn't it? Atleast thats what I see when I dualboot from my crappy Acer Apsire one, lol.

Also, I don't see any reason you need the higher spec one. Hell, go crazy and save some money - get a windows laptop for 30% of the price. All you're going to be doing is word processing and stuff, right?

[CanadianSnowman]

Mac's have more eye candy and are more user friendly (one click pretty much does everything) but yeah if you're just typing out text documents I suggest you go with a PC laptop it's considerably less money.

[Nobodys-Hero]

I'd suggest grabbing a windows laptop you can find some really nice ones for cheap out there.

[STEM]

2.26 GHz is plenty, and be sure to upgrade to 4GB Memory/RAM. 2 Just isn't enough nowadays. You'll find most macbooks will have 8GB already installed come this fall when the newer version of mac is out.

Also get the bigger hard drive, especially if you have a lot of music or want to put linux/windows 7 on the drive as well. You can always opt for a USB external hard drive too. I have a 500GB Mybook that I put all of my windows games on, so they don't just linger in my hard drive taking up space.

[Sully]

At 6/9/09 03:59 PM, CanadianSnowman wrote: You don't need as much system resources running Mac OS as Windows, that should do very nicely for a MacBook, but you can't compare to PC it's a different world.

So, what specs. are you suggesting?

At 6/9/09 04:00 PM, Proottalfain wrote: What is the price for the different options?

MacBook
2.13GHz
2GB memory
160GB hard drive
-$999

MacBook
2.13GHz
4GB memory
250GB hard drive
-$1149

MacBook Pro
2.26GHz
2GB memory
160GB hard drive
-$1199

MacBook Pro
2.26GHz
4GB memory
250GB hard drive
-$1349

[CanadianSnowman]

I suggest the $1149 version.

[Conspiracy3]

Is there any particular reason that you need a mac book instead of a windows machine?

Unless it is a requirement to be running Mac OS X I would recomend getting a windows machine. Even if the OS is required you can probably install the OS on a regular lap top (apple charges a shitload of cash for inferior hardware. If you can install their operating system on a non-apple laptop then do it)

[Masculine]

At 6/9/09 04:08 PM, Sully wrote: MacBook
2.13GHz
2GB memory
160GB hard drive
-$999

That's all you need for what you are doing.

[YeOldeSierra]

At 6/9/09 03:58 PM, Sully wrote:

2.13GHz vs. 2.26GHz

2GB memory vs. 4GB memory

160GB hard drive vs. 250GB hard drive

To be honest, some of that stuff seems pretty useless. The extra 2GB of RAM is worth getting though - it'll allow you to have more stuff open at once. Also, for the hard drives, factor in the amount of memory the Mac OSX Operating System will need - could be up to 30GB or more. If you factor that in, the 160GB Hard Drive becomes a 100GB, and the 250GB becomes a 200GB.

The faster processor might be nice, but it doesn't seem to be a big difference. 0.13GHz won't really make a difference, and on laptops (at least Windows ones) you can increase the performance by changing the battery plan. My 2.00GHz processor runs at 3.69GHz, for example.

Personally, if I had the money, I'd get the one with the higher specs. Some of that stuff could be very useful to you. If you don't have the money, then the lower one will do fine. Still, given a choice between an Apple Mac and a Windows XP or Vista laptop, I'd go for the Windows. This might be of no use to you, but you can make your Windows computer's fonts look like those on a Mac. You just have to download a little program called GDI++. It changes the ClearType font in Windows to look like that of a Mac.

Plus, you can get a higher spec Windows laptop for the same price as an average Mac laptop. I know I might well be flamed for this, but I don't really care. I'd rather help you get a decent laptop. :)

[Sully]

At 6/9/09 04:11 PM, Conspiracy3 wrote: Is there any particular reason that you need a mac book instead of a windows machine?

Unless it is a requirement to be running Mac OS X I would recomend getting a windows machine. Even if the OS is required you can probably install the OS on a regular lap top (apple charges a shitload of cash for inferior hardware. If you can install their operating system on a non-apple laptop then do it)

I'm just sick of Windows. I'm not going to go into it, its basically a personal preference (lack of spyware, viruses, etc. on Macs; easier to use).

Would it really be worth it to get a non-apple laptop and install Mac OS X on it? Would it be the same as a Mac?

[Krasnoyarsk]

ok steps

1.) throw out Macbook, or any ideas of buying a mac
2.) live your life

[Sully]

At 6/9/09 04:17 PM, Krasnoyarsk wrote: ok steps

1.) throw out Macbook, or any ideas of buying a mac
2.) live your life

Mmm. No, I don't think so, heh.

[Masculine]

At 6/9/09 04:16 PM, Sully wrote: I'm just sick of Windows. I'm not going to go into it, its basically a personal preference (lack of spyware, viruses, etc. on Macs; easier to use).

I've been testing out Windows 7 for a while now and honestly a lot of the problems with older versions of Windows are gone. The biggest pain in the ass I had with Windows before was drivers but Windows 7 has fixed that too.

Would it really be worth it to get a non-apple laptop and install Mac OS X on it? Would it be the same as a Mac?

Technically it's illegal to install a Mac OS on a non Apple product but it can be done with some hacking.

[Samen]

At 6/9/09 04:09 PM, CanadianSnowman wrote: I suggest the $1149 version.

I support this suggestion.
You'll be set for all your college years.

[YeOldeSierra]

At 6/9/09 04:11 PM, Conspiracy3 wrote: Unless it is a requirement to be running Mac OS X I would recomend getting a windows machine. Even if the OS is required you can probably install the OS on a regular lap top (apple charges a shitload of cash for inferior hardware. If you can install their operating system on a non-apple laptop then do it)

Doesn't really work out. You lose the warranty on the Mac OS if you install it on a non-Apple product. It's one of their stupid laws, that take up a load of the End User License Agreement, which nobody actually reads. You might be grateful of a warranty if OSX screws up.

As for the third laptop, the $1199 one, I think it's the best all rounder. It's more affordable than the one with the 2GB extra RAM - $150 for 2GB of RAM?! Apple charge a fortune for their hardware.

If you are able to get a Windows laptop, you can always make it LOOK like a Mac. Use Leftsider, themes and other crap. It could be the perfect Microsoft Mac. If you spend enough time to make it perfect, and you're required to use a Mac, you'll get away with it on the Windows.

There are loads of Mac-esque downloads for Windows. Docks, fonts, rip off programs, themes. Yeah. There's everything. It will take time, and it's not incredibly easy, but it's worth putting the time into.

[Kirk-Cocaine]

At 6/9/09 04:22 PM, Masculine wrote: I've been testing out Windows 7 for a while now and honestly a lot of the problems with older versions of Windows are gone. The biggest pain in the ass I had with Windows before was drivers but Windows 7 has fixed that too.

Is there a feature like Exposé? That was a big plus point in Macs favour.

[Sully]

At 6/9/09 04:23 PM, YeOldeSierra wrote:

At 6/9/09 04:11 PM, Conspiracy3 wrote: Unless it is a requirement to be running Mac OS X I would recomend getting a windows machine. Even if the OS is required you can probably install the OS on a regular lap top (apple charges a shitload of cash for inferior hardware. If you can install their operating system on a non-apple laptop then do it)

Doesn't really work out. You lose the warranty on the Mac OS if you install it on a non-Apple product. It's one of their stupid laws, that take up a load of the End User License Agreement, which nobody actually reads. You might be grateful of a warranty if OSX screws up.

As for the third laptop, the $1199 one, I think it's the best all rounder. It's more affordable than the one with the 2GB extra RAM - $150 for 2GB of RAM?! Apple charge a fortune for their hardware.

If you are able to get a Windows laptop, you can always make it LOOK like a Mac. Use Leftsider, themes and other crap. It could be the perfect Microsoft Mac. If you spend enough time to make it perfect, and you're required to use a Mac, you'll get away with it on the Windows.

There are loads of Mac-esque downloads for Windows. Docks, fonts, rip off programs, themes. Yeah. There's everything. It will take time, and it's not incredibly easy, but it's worth putting the time into.

Thank you for the input.

Only thing I have to say is that

1) It costs $100 to upgrade from 2GB RAM to 4GB RAM. The additional $50 is from upgrading 160GB hard drive to 250GB hard drive.

2) I don't just want my laptop to LOOK like a Mac; there is just something about a Mac that is so much easier and smoother to use, at least in my opinion. I've been a PC user for years now, and just recently I got an iPhone, and then sat down and used a friend's MacBook (first time that I had actually used a Mac), and I just really liked it.

[GiantDouche]

Build a PC.

[zer0gravity1]

I think you should get the 4GB ram, it really helps everything run smooth. I can have photoshop, firefox, flash AND after effects and other stuff open at the same time, and it runs really smooth, no lagging. I think you should stick with 160 GB, but get an external hard drive.

[YeOldeSierra]

At 6/9/09 04:35 PM, GiantDouche wrote: Build a PC.

Needs to be portable. The guy's going to college.

If you are set on getting a Mac, alright. That's fine by me. The only question is; are you sure you liked it? It could just be because it was new to you. Also, Macs can get viruses. People don't really develop for them though because there are more PC users. There's a trojan in the iWork '09 torrent, from what I've heard.

If you're set on a Mac, then alright. You might as well go for it. Is it Tiger, Leopard or what? It's gotta be OSX. One thing though : there is a new Mac OS coming out in September or something. It's called Snow Leopard (I think), and it might be OS11, rather than 10. Might be worth waiting and getting the newer one, with improved performance.

[EJR]

I'll suggest the $1,149 version of the White Macbook. Seems like a fair deal to me. I'll probably get it when I get a Macbook, too.

[EJR]

At 6/9/09 04:42 PM, YeOldeSierra wrote: If you're set on a Mac, then alright. You might as well go for it. Is it Tiger, Leopard or what? It's gotta be OSX. One thing though : there is a new Mac OS coming out in September or something. It's called Snow Leopard (I think), and it might be OS11, rather than 10. Might be worth waiting and getting the newer one, with improved performance.

It's gonna be OS 10.6... The only one available now is Leopard which is 10.5. It's better if he gets a Macbook sooner because if he gets Snow Leopard later, he has to pay more for it rather than having a $30 upgrade in September.

[Nobodys-Hero]

why not install linux if you are concerned about viruses. there are still viruses for mac's out there

[Sully]

At 6/9/09 04:47 PM, Nobodys-Hero wrote: why not install linux if you are concerned about viruses. there are still viruses for mac's out there

Doubt that there aren't any for Linux either. There are barely any for Macs.

[YeOldeSierra]

At 6/9/09 05:06 PM, Sully wrote:

At 6/9/09 04:47 PM, Nobodys-Hero wrote: why not install linux if you are concerned about viruses. there are still viruses for mac's out there

Doubt that there aren't any for Linux either. There are barely any for Macs.

There are very few for either. Unless you go onto an infected webpage. Then it doesn't matter what Operating System you're on. I couldn't use a Mac. All the programs I know and love on Windows aren't on Mac. Google Chrome is my primary internet browser, and it's not out on Mac yet.

If you use Chrome as well Sully, you can download a rip-off of it on Mac called Chromium. It's pretty much the same thing. Same rendering engine. Same interface. Same speed. Still with Google written on it, as far as I know.

The only real virus on the Mac is the one in the iWork 2009 torrent. No idea what it's called, but it's the most powerful virus on the Mac, from what I heard.

[Samen]

At 6/9/09 05:20 PM, YeOldeSierra wrote: The only real virus on the Mac is the one in the iWork 2009 torrent. No idea what it's called, but it's the most powerful virus on the Mac, from what I heard.

Why would you even torrent a free programming suite?
Anyways, speaking of iWork, if you're unfamiliar with it, you'll be pleased to know that it will open most Microsoft Office Documents with little or no hassle.
I haven't had any issues working with anything higher than iWork 07.